Nyrstar Tennessee Mines’ Notify Jefferson County Property Owners Of Intent To Exercise Mineral Rights
Several Jefferson County land owners were recently informed that Nyrstar Tennessee Mines, located in Strawberry Plains, will begin exercising their mineral rights which will impact an undisclosed number of Jefferson County property owners. Nyrstar’s mineral interest in Jefferson County encompasses 9,105 acres, according to filings in the Jefferson County Assessor of Property’s Office. Letters that went out to property owners in the New Market/Strawberry Plains area indicated that Nyrstar is planning to exercise their right to enter multiple properties for the purpose of testing to determine if any minerals lie under the properties.
While the communication received from Nyrstar contends that the company has the right to initiate testing and the rights to minerals on the properties in question, many property owners were unaware that Nyrstar owned the mineral rights to their property. Some of the property in question were purchased within the past few decades and the property owners contend that there was nothing to indicate that the sub surface mineral rights were not a part of their purchase. Several property owners have contacted County Commissioners and elected officials in an effort to determine what, if anything, can be done to prevent Nyrstar from entering and testing their property. Nyrstar’s plan is to lay out a grid pattern of electrical wires and sub surface conductors that will cover multiple property locations. They stated in their communication letter that they will dig 3-4 sq feet sections that will be spaced around 100-200 yards apart to create the grid pattern. Nyrstar contends that there is no danger to individuals or property but cautions that the grid and its components should not be disturbed and that property owners should be advised that they should not “at any time come into contact with any wiring or devises once they have been placed on the property.”
In the 1980s, the Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation that required anyone holding mineral rights file a statement of claim with the local Registrar of Deeds. Those that did not meet the filing deadline of July 1, 1987 forfeited their claim to mineral rights. Nyrstar has filed some paperwork regarding their holding of mineral rights with the Assessor of Property of Jefferson County but the online records at the Registrar of Deeds does not extend beyond the mid 1990s. There is no current list of mineral rights owned by Nyrstar but it is conceivable that one could have been filed by a previous mining company and transferred to Nyrstar during purchase. The information at the Assessor of Property is in regard to a property tax abatement, which was extended to Nyrstar by the Jefferson County Industrial Development Board and is up for renewal shortly.
As for many of the property owners, the particulars of any contract purchasing the mineral rights of their properties remains unknown and the only indicator that the owners have that their property ownership is for surface property only is in the form of the letter from Nyrstar. Because many of the mineral right purchases in Jefferson County were made several decades ago, with some dating pre World World I, it is unknown just how many property owners in Jefferson County do not own the mineral rights to their property.
Attempts to contact Nyrstar for comment on the scope of the testing, number of property owners that will be impacted and speculation about the longevity of the company in Jefferson County were unsuccessful. Adam Denton, Exploration Geologist who was listed as a contact for property owners, declined to comment and would not refer to the companies media contact. Several others contacted within the Nyrstar organization, both locally and beyond, declined to comment.
